Air Force Throttles Back Faith

These days, it’s tough to tell — especially since its Academy seems to take its orders from anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein, not Gen. Mark Welsh, the Air Force Chief. Weinstein, whose latest complaint is the use of the word “God” in the cadet’s Honor Code, grumbled about the reference to Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson. And while he did succeed in having a poster with the word removed, he failed in his push to strike God from the code altogether.

The controversy was triggered by a newspaper photo of an oath poster on Academy grounds, which reporters forwarded to Weinstein. Shortly after Mikey called Air Force officials, the wall was stripped of the image. But after a meeting of the Academy’s Honor Review Committee, the same can’t be said of the cadet’s vow: “We will not lie, steal, or cheat nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and live honorably, so help me God.”

From now on, Johnson says, cadets will have the option not to finish the Honor Oath with “so help me God.” What she didn’t say is that cadets have always had that option. (Apparently, nobody’s taken it but Weinstein). This debate isn’t about accommodating people who don’t believe in God; it’s about intimidating and marginalizing the majority of cadets with a Christian worldview. No one is forced to say “so help me God.” But if it’s good enough for every President since George Washington, then surely it’s okay for the Air Force’s cadets.